Argues that when involving students in activities that require them to explore texts creatively, teachers should also make them inquire into their own reading processes--especially since the reading of literature helps the students to become aware of their own intellectual process if attention is focused on them reflexively. (HOD)

Discusses the literature on children's early thinking about written symbols and offers suggestions for teachers seeking to extend that thinking. (FL)

By restructuring the sequence in which American history is taught so that classes proceed from the present to the past, secondary students in the Backward History Project have learned history more effectively and have been more interested and involved than in standard classes. The philosophy underlying this change is discussed. (IS)

To become an efficient reader of subject matter in geography, students need to have adequate background information to read the ensuing content. Vocabulary considerations thoroughly enter into the reading act. A major problem for the teacher when students read geographical content is to develop meaning. To assist students in reading and…

The objective of this study was to investigate the emergence of a "mindy" (a unit of mind). The mindy is characterized as an open, organized, discrete, and kinematic mental shape. The study was the sequel to research on the emergence of mental shape (R. Laassonen, 1993). The subjects were 84 students, aged 13 to 16 years and…

A study was conducted to inquire into serial and parallel relations of information processing. A hypothesis was derived from earlier studies, and it was assumed that serial processing exceeds parallel processing in time. A figure-type test was constructed with two items. The reliability of the measure was examined with the coefficient of…

This paper investigates the need for the infusion of critical thinking instruction into the teaching of the journalistic practice of questioning. Given research done in the area of questioning, it seems probable that critical thinking instruction could enable students to employ self-directed thinking skills that would allow them to ask better…

There is a popular view that arithmetic is only a collection of dull algorithms containing no interesting ideas. However, if one goes a little below the surface, it will become apparent that there are many fascinating ideas waiting to be discovered. The paper tries to show that mathematical ideas can be recognized and understood without the use of…

The first section of this two-part document, The Hermeneutic Struggle: A Teaching Method, explores the author's pedagogical explanation of a hermeneutic approach to teaching philosophy. According to the article, the teacher should come to the classroom and be able to approach the subject matter from the perspective of the beginner, yet, at the…

Examples are given of the variety of mathematical concepts and problems being studied by psychologically oriented researchers in France. Work on decimals, circles, natural numbers, decimal and real numbers, and didactic transposition are included. Comments on designing research on mathematics concept formation conclude the article. (MNS)

Highlights findings from cognitive science which suggest new approaches for science and mathematics instruction, addressing role of naive theories and qualitative understanding of situations in problem-solving. Also considers nature of the learner based on the findings. (JN)

Describes a study that explored third- and sixth-grade students' ability to comprehend main ideas after reading natural expository passages taken from their social studies textbooks. Concludes that the children had much difficulty comprehending the passages' main ideas. Offers suggestions for content area teachers to improve reading comprehension.…

Examined influence of teaching methods on content achievement of concrete and formal concepts by students differing in level of operational thought and influence of concrete/formal teaching on the intellectural development of students (N=86 grade 9-10 biology students). Methodology, results, conclusions, and implications are discussed. (Author/JN)

The author seeks to clarify the difficulty and complexity of the things youngsters must do to learn mathematics, and to have teachers question their own views about children in redefining mathematics instruction. (MP)

Describes a study using experimental and control classes to test the effect of exercises in creative thinking. The tenth-grade students were able to increase their ability to think creatively. (Author/SA)